Traffic police in action: Over 3000 vehicles seized in last 9 days

Crackdown on underage driving, violations continues in Sgr City, outskirts; locals extend support to Traffic Police

Srinagar, Nov 23: As a part of stern action to curb underage driving and traffic violations in the valley, especially in Srinagar City, the Traffic Police Department has seized more than three thousand vehicles, comprising both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, over the last nine days in Srinagar alone.

The traffic crackdown, which began after the tragic Tengpora accident on November 14, claimed the lives of two young boys, with another critically injured, after a collision between two vehicles.

The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to a renewed focus on underage driving and reckless driving practices in the region.

Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a senior traffic police official said they have launched a robust campaign to address the growing issue of minor drivers and traffic violations in the region.

“In the last nine days, we have seized more than three thousand vehicles, including both two-wheelers and four-wheelers for various offenses, and we intend to continue this action. Our primary focus is on ensuring the safety of everyone on the roads,” he said, adding “we start the drive at about 8:30 in morning with end of the day at 11:00 PM and sometimes 11:30 PM as required.”

He further added, “This drive is aimed at reducing road accidents, particularly those involving minors, who often lack the maturity and experience needed to drive safely. We want to make Srinagar city safer for commuting.”

Meanwhile, the local residents have also expressed their support for the crackdown, noting that the streets have become noticeably safer in recent days.

“The crackdown has been a much-needed step. I have seen a big difference on the roads. There is much less underage driving, and overall traffic behaviour seems to have improved,” said Umer, a local resident of Srinagar.

“The streets look safer now, and we rarely see young kids behind the wheel anymore. This is a good move by the traffic police, and it should continue,” said Wahid, another local.

Notably, the IGP Traffic J&K today also conducted meeting with all unit heads of Traffic Police on Traffic scenario and challenges in Traffic Management and Implementation of Recommendations of Supreme Court on Road Safety—(KNO)

AIIMS Awantipora to miss January 2025 deadline

70% of work completed, new target set for June 2025: Officials

Srinagar, Nov 23 (KNO): The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Awantipora is likely to miss its January 2025 deadline, as approximately 30% of the project remains incomplete.

According to details accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Union government approved two AIIMS projects for Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. While AIIMS Jammu has been completed and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, progress on AIIMS Awantipora has been slower, with 30-35% of the work still pending.

Officials told KNO that 70% of the work on AIIMS Awantipora has been completed, but the remaining 30% cannot be finished within the one-month window left before the deadline. Despite a commendable pace of work, they said it is not feasible to complete the project by January 2025.

“There is a need to accelerate efforts on this ambitious project to ensure its completion at the earliest. While 70% of the work has been completed over the last five years, expecting the remainder to be finished in one month is unrealistic,” an official said.

Residents of Awantipora and surrounding areas have urged the government to expedite the completion of the project, saying there is a dire need for healthcare infrastructure in the region.

They lamented that both AIIMS projects were approved simultaneously but have not been completed at the same pace. The people of Kashmir, who have limited healthcare options compared to Jammu, are more in need of AIIMS Awantipora, they said.

Many locals called for completing the project early to reduce the hardships faced by patients requiring treatment for critical illnesses.

Meanwhile, officials working on the project said efforts are in full swing and aim to complete the work by June 2025.

They cited several reasons for the delay, including legal disputes over land acquisition for the access road, restrictions following the abrogation of Article 370, challenges posed by a nearby army base, erratic weather, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors collectively hindered the progress of this mega project, they said.

An official said that progress has been made over the past two years. “Work on four academic blocks, multiple hospital blocks, and hostel blocks is nearing completion, and efforts are underway to hand over the facility to the concerned authorities as soon as possible,” he said.

The Central government approved AIIMS Awantipora in 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,828 crore. The project includes the construction of approximately 57 buildings, encompassing a hospital, hostels, residential quarters, a football ground, tennis courts, gardens with medicinal plants, and other state-of-the-art facilities.

Upon completion, the institute will provide 1,000 beds, including 300 super-speciality beds, which is expected to bolster Kashmir’s healthcare infrastructure. The project also includes a medical college with a capacity for 100 students and a nursing college for 60 students.

The government has set December 31, 2024, as the new deadline for completing the project. However, officials are optimistic that the facility will be fully operational by June 2025—(KNO)

Decision on winter vacation to be taken after annual exams: Director

Says no private school can charge admission or capitation fee from parents

Srinagar, Nov 23: Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Saturday said that it will take a call on winter vacation after the culmination of annual exams of classes 1st to 9th.

Speaking with reporters, director school education Kashmir Tassaduq Hussain Mir, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the first priority for the government will be to conduct free and smooth examinations starting from coming Monday under the uniform date sheet for all classes upto 9th standard.

He said that the government will only declare winter vacations after the culmination of exams of classes 1st to 9th standard. “There will no winter vacations before the exams.”

About admission and capitation charges by some private schools, he said that they have a fee fixation committee that is regulating the fee and other charges of private schools. “We have already cleared it that no private school can charge admission of capitation fee from the parents.”

He added that in case such complaints come to them, they will definitely take cognisance and action accordingly—(KNO)